Wild fall to Islanders in OT, but late Matt Boldy goal rescues point

Sarah McLellan, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Oct 29, 2026

Published in Hockey

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ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild returned to Grand Casino Arena with a perfect record on home ice but will leave again without one.

After a season-long road trip, the Wild fell, 4-3 in overtime, to the New York Islanders on Thursday night to drop their first game at Grand Casino Arena.

They’re 4-0-1 in St. Paul but after a 3-1-1 trip, they’re second in the NHL after finishing October 9-3-3 despite missing key players all season long; captain Jared Spurgeon was hurt last game.

Matthew Schaefer scored his second goal of the game 33 seconds into overtime after Matt Boldy tied the game with a strong individual effort late in the third period.

The Wild led first, with Joel Eriksson Ek capitalizing 27 seconds in, but they played catch-up most of the night.

They trailed after Schaefer, the reigning rookie of the year, pounced on a rebound late in the first period and Bo Horvat tipped in the go-ahead goal on the power play in the second.

Quinn Hughes answered back late in the second period, but the Wild were down again in the third after New York’s Adam Pelech connected for a shot that caught a piece of Wild center Michael McCarron before eluding goalie Jesper Wallstedt, who finished with 22 saves.

Schaefer’s game-winner came on a 2-on-1 rush after the Wild blanked on a 2-on-1, with Kirill Kaprizov missing the net.

Eriksson Ek left early in the third period after Max Shabanov hit him on the outside of the right knee with a shot, but Eriksson Ek returned to finish the game.

The Wild will be back on the road for their next two games, beginning with a Sunday matinee at Washington.